Desperate Struggle Debt!
by Greenx92
Summary: Ordered on a flimsy excuse to give money to Academy City, Touma has until the end of the week to pay off a whopping one million yen. To do this, he'll have to beg, work, search, and fight his way to a million. He'll also need the help of the many friends and allies he has in Academy City if he wants out of this debt.
1. Chapter 1

"W-what happened?"

Kamijou had just opened his eyes, waking up from an emotional faint. No, he was not in the hospital room his nose had memorized through smell. Instead, he was in his neglected home and in front of the door.

"Oh good! Touma, you're awake again."

He looked to his left and saw a young girl in a white nun's habit with gold highlights, complimenting the girl's own silver hair.

"Index? What happened? Why did I pass out?"

He didn't remember having any encounters with magicians today nor had he run into certain espers with hostile feelings directed specifically to him. In fact, the day had gone relatively smoothly for him. He still had to go through some unwanted predicaments throughout the day, but as long there was no one trying to kill him after lecturing on the workings of their powers, he had no qualms.

"Don't you remember? You cried that overused expression of yours and fainted while your eyes swirled."

He didn't like the sound of that. His scalp wasn't throbbing from a cruel bite yet he had yelled an eardrum beating "Fukou da." The feeling fell lower once he noticed the door was open. He got up and saw a man in his thirties in a brown suit with a red tie. He had less than 300 strands of hair on his head, vertically combed frontward to his eyes. He wore lightly tinted spectacles with a red pen attached to the left of it and sticking out.

(He doesn't look like he's a magician,) he thought to himself.

"Um, can I help you?" he asked nervously.

The man took a step back. "What? You forgot already?" The man noticed his overzealous stance and reformed his professional composure. "Ah, well, we only spoke for less than a minute anyway. Wouldn't kill me to start over. Ahem. Hello Kamijou-san. My name is Tanaka. I've come representing the entirety of Academy City to inform you that you are in our debt."

"Debt?" His face became blotched with mixes of different horrors.

"That is correct. Your presence has been growing in these path months and in combination of our video cameras and eye witness account, we have tied your increased presence with many of the city's conflicts. Many of the illicit conflicts taking place within the city have resulted in major damage. I'm sure you can see where this is going."

He gulped. "How much is the debt?" He was afraid to hear what the answer would be. If the debt was great enough to shock him into unconsciousness, he would at least have to ask Index to stand behind him.

"Em, not to offend, but I'd rather you wait until I leave to hear about. You friend was with you when the door was answered."

He nodded and continued listening to Tanaka.

"While you may be thinking of escaping the city in hopes of leaving a debt behind, I am glad to announce that we will be lenient on you. As a student here, surely the fact that Academy City has more than enough money to fund all communities within, is present in your mind. We are not asking full reparation of the money we had to spend on repairs and renovations. We simply ask for a small fraction of the money needed from you to affirm your loyalty to the city remains."

He nodded and quietly thought to himself. After a small pause, he says, "Only a small fraction. Although I'm confident it will still be a lot for me to pay, I can say I find it fair in hindsight." His mind briefly went over times like when he stopped the Level 6 project (the scientist involved grudge thinking about it to this day), the multiple magicians he's attracted over here (not his fault entirely), and the multiple hospital bills left unpaid (his parents can only pay so much). Still, he made no regrets in his actions that might have resulted this debt. Knowing full well the technology of the city, it is certain that they know how involved he has been in these struggles. They could have been austere and lay a dire and unpleasant punishment onto him to really consider running from the city. The mere fact that they are willing to put on a blind eye on if he pays this debt is already enough.

"Is that so? You're really okay? Well then, I don't think I need to stay here any longer. I had a file of our records around the incidents and payments to convince you in the chance you rejected paying, but if you're wholeheartedly agreeing, I see no point in delaying your time."

Tanaka bowed and was just about to leave before remembering one last thing.

"Time? That's right, I almost forgot the deadline for the debt. You have exactly one week to get the money, Sunday at noon. Now, do you have any last questions before I go?"

" A couple," Kamijou said. Hearing the little time he was given to pay off a debt worried him and with his luck, he'd like to know a very possible outcome. "First: What happens if I don't pay the debt in time?"

Tanaka frowned. "Well, in the unfortunate case you cannot complete payment, we will give you two choices. You must either choose between allowing us to detain you or you may give everything you have to us and then work for the city permanently."

"Permanently!?"

"Y-yes. The main focus of you paying the debt is to ascertain your alliance to Academy City. Now as for your second question?"

Kamijou already last the will to talk, but he absolutely needed to ask his second question if all of this was legitamate. "My second question is how can I trust you?"

"Excuse me?"

"How can I trust you? After all, you're asking me to give you a lot of money, right? How do I know if I'm not in any sort of scam?"

"Ah, I see. Unfortunately, I am quite unable to do so right here. Do not doubt me, though. I simply don't have the equipment to prove it. Had you asked me to prove the Earth is round, I would have responded in the same way. However, I understand where you're coming from. If it would make you feel better you're free to drop by my office anytime so I may prove it to you there."

"Where is your office?"

"I promptly handed you a business card when you answered the door. If memory serves me right, you should have slipped it into your right pocket.

He checked and indeed there was a card with the name Naoki Tanaka and an address and phone number.

"It works out better this way," Tanaka said. "We can remove the banks from this problem and do the transactions in person. Perhaps if I observe enough loyalty out of you, I may contribute a small amount of money to the debt you owe."

A honking noise could be heard in the distance.

"Oh, there's my ride. As of right now you have 168 hours and a debt your friend will disclose to you. If you need to ask anymore questions or even need some help along the way, give me a call or pay me a visit. Have a good day, Kamijou-san."

He left his sight and as seconds passed, the tonks of the stairs faded away.

The spike-haired boy stood there staring blankly at nothing. This entire talk about debt and proof of loyalty had given him a mixed bag of emotions, including shock, confusion, and doubt.

(Did I really calmly accept a large debt without any screaming? Ah well. Perhaps the constant shock from magicians have heightened my threshold for anxiety. Or maybe I'm only calm because I still don't know how much I owe. They're giving me a week so it must not be much.)

He closed the door and turned to Index who had been quietly watching him.

"Mm? What's wrong Index?"

"Touma," she slowly said. "If you don't pay this debt then that means you have to go to jail or give away everything, correct?"

He nodded.

"Including the apartment?"

"Tch!"

It seems that the problem had escalated once more. While her being evicted from the apartment wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to her, he didn't want to risk her safety and have her live in the streets, or worse, with Tsuchimikado

"It's okay," Index reassuringly said. "I know you'll be able to do this. Look how calm you are after all!"

"Eheh! About that, I think the shock and fear of it all hasn't settled at all in me because I don't know how much this debt is."

"Oh! That's right. According to that man, you are sharing less than one percent of the total damage done in Academy City that you were involved with. People settled on a price that seemed achievable by you yet needed hard work to achieve. With that said, you owe Academy City exactly one million yen."

_THUD!_

"Touma! Not again!"

* * *

Debt remaining: 1,000,000 yen

Time remaining: 168 hours

* * *

Something I'm trying out. This should be more regularly updated than the _other _story I'm working on. I don't find myself excessively criticizing myself before I write every sentence. I'll probably update again Tuesday, unless it snows over here and school gets cancelled Monday.


	2. Chapter 2

Promptly after waking (and shouting profanity), Kamijou calmed himself down for a minute to think at the kitchen.

Index, came around eventually to check up on him.

"Have you thought of anything yet, Touma?"

"No, nothing yet. How about you?"

"Well, as you should know Touma, I've never had much experience with money or money problems thanks to your kind genorosity."

(Living with a freeloader has it damages,) Kamijou thought to himself.

"However, using my idetic memory, I did do the courtesy of extract everything that can be called money from the apartment by looking around." Index pulled out a fist full of bills and coins and poured it onto the counter.

"How much is it?" Kamijou said with a tinge of worry.

"5400 yen."

A breath of relief came out of him.

"9,800 more if we include your secret money."

"Geh!"

Index pulled out another wad of cash from her other hand and gently placed it on the table.

"I won't question why you're hiding money from me, Touma." She glared at him with a distinct look to let him know she would be biting later for this. "I think it would be wise, though, if we kept some money for us to use on food."

"That money was for emergency only!" he said in response to her earlier comment.

"Then why couldn't you have lent me some money when my poor stomach was in dire need of nutritious food?"

"Idle hunger isn't an emergency!"

Truth be told, the money was Touma's own lunch money for the times when Index swiped his plate's contents. He'd never tell her that.

"In any case, you're right," he said. "It's best if we kept 10,000 in our disposal and use the rest to start paying off our debt."

"Your debt," Index corrected. "If you didn't go around punching people so much, you wouldn't be inso much trouble."

"Don't treat it as if I'm the one causing doom and destruction. Let's just stop talking and think of a way to make money."

"Can't you ask your parents for money?" Index inquired.

He sighed and thought about it. It wouldn't be too far-fetched. They did pay most of his earlier hospital bills, including the time his arm had to be re-attatched.

"No. I'd rather not involve them at all if I can help it."

Even if he was one million in the hole, he couldn't bear the thought of putting his problems and burdens on others.

"Well we have to do something, Touma... and I think I know what to do."

"This is humiliating."

Listening to Index from a lack of choice, Kamijou had no choice but to do as what she had suggested. Now he was outside in the street and pan-handling for money with a dirty black hat he had laying around.

Ten minutes had passed since Kamijou was convinced to go out. Index stood next to him in support. In those ten minutes, not a single yen was dropped into the hat in Kamijou's hand. Index had noticed and frowned.

"Why is no one giving us their sympathy and support? Do people here not know how to treat people in need seeking help?"

"It's just a rarity to see people like us, I suppose. Problems with money aren't common around here." Although Kamijou said this, he was still pretty annoyed.

"Even so, there should be at least be some sensitive people here."

Kamioju agreed before it got him wondering. People tend to be more sensitive toward young girls, he was sure. "Mm., what if Index held the pothole alone while wearing some tattered cloth? That should send out a different message than a teenage boy with a foreign nun by his side, don't you think?"

"Oh? Are you saying that's what people sympathize for? Or are you explaining how all of your maiden-in-needs looked like?"

"Oi, don't be making assumptions like that. Also, aren't you part of that group? Maybe you should put on some tattered cloth!"

"Touma!"

After the head chomp, they stopped talking and returned to their silent begging. Kamijou was starting feel sick to his stomach with this action, believing they could be something more lucrative than this.

(There's got to be a better way. Wait a minute! The money Index found around the apartment turned out to be a lot. Maybe there's money hiding somewhere around the city.)

As much as this was a possibility, he shook it off. Academy City was much too advanced and clean to have things like trash or money laying around. It was as immaculate as a mansion cleaned by an army of professional maids. Finding anything on the ground would be more difficult than trying to find a casino around.

"Such misfortune," he quietly released.

The faint catchphrase was heard by Index. "Don't worry, Touma. Let me do something that might help."

She clapped her hand together in front of her chest and dropped her head atop of them. She began speaking in English.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh. I'm in the middle of a prayer. Haven't you ever heard of asking and receiving, Touma?"

"Alright, alright. I understand."

Index nodded and continued her prayer.

He tuned it out of his attention and started scrutinizing the area out of boredom. He never realized how tall the buildings were before. Nor had he noticed how offended he was for the faces people passing by made at them, the face people made when they see someone they hate and haven't seen them in years. He also noticed some of the more fearful switching to the other side of the road momentarily as they approached them and come back to their original side once they've passed him. It made him feel much worse than he initially did.

"Eh?"

As his eyes wandered down the street where it was more dense with people, a figure stood out in the crowd. A brown-haired middle school student wearing a Tokiwadai school uniform.

"Amen!" Index announced. "I've finished my prayer now, Touma."

"And what exactly did you ask for that is giving me such misfortune?"

Continuing to look at the girl, he noticed her legs moving rapidly toward him.

(Damn! She's spotted us!)

Before his mind went with negative override and telling him to run, a vague smile that could not be distinguished from a pout came on him.

(But maybe this isn't such a bad thing?)

The girl known as Academy City's #3, Misaka Mikoto. Many residents, however, only seem to hear about these Level 5s, never to see any of them. As such, she is able to traverse the city with minimal attention and unwanted distractions and why she is able to walk in a crowd normally.

Despite her presumed normality from the stranger's eye, she was quite frustrated.

(That idiot wasn't at the supermarket today,) she internally repeated to herself like a mantra. It was always an annoyance when something you deem as predictable doesn't come to, such as those times your friends don't laugh at a joke you'd expect them to enjoy. What's worse was that Misaka had come to know that if 'he' wasn't doing his Saturday noon routine, he was most likely off fighting in that world he refuses to let her in.

"I suppose it can't be helped," she said under her breath. "If he's off doing his thing again, there's nothing I can do until I happen to find a trace of him. Huh? Wait is that him?"

Just as she was accepting that she would not be able to see him today, spiked-top high school boy could be seen a few blocks away. Index could also be clearly seen, but her mental thoughts did not process that.

"It's him! I'm sure of it!"

As if he had heard her, he began running. For whatever reason, he was running to her.

(Eh? Is that idiot actually going after me for once?)

The small possibility had hit her and suddenly she had turned red and nervous.

(He's still running! What is he going to say to me? What am I going to say?)

Despite it seeming like her dream was on its way of manifesting, he killed it, that illusion of her. Two blocks away from her, he turned right, or Misaka's right, and disappeared.

"..."

(That fucking bastard, I'll show him!)

She dashed out of the crowd and headed towards the same street as him.

She had first planned to blast him a bolt of electricity while shouting nonsense at him, but a better idea came to mind.

(If he's on the process of going to wherever to save whoever, I'll make sure to go with and fight along his side!)

With this in mind, she retarded her speed while focusing on the high school boy like a hawk and its dinner.

After some time, about four minutes, did the hunt stop.

(Why did he stop at the park?)

She brought her pursuit to a stop and hid behind a tree, looking at him from afar.

He did nothing but stand. He looked like he was becoming impatient, waiting for someone.

Misaka was becoming more frustrated with each passing second looking at him. She turned and looked at the sky.

"Er, well, I suppose today is a nice day to walk in the park."

She took a deep breath and soothed her feelings before walking into the park with her usual confident demeanor.

As she was approaching him, he saw her with the corner of his eye and he said, "I was wondering when you would show up."

"What?"

Her body felt like a child had pushed her and she forcibly took a step back.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, really. I knew you would chase me to ask for a battle and whatnot, but I never realized how slow you've become at running."

"Hey! I'll have you know that my laps in gym haven't decreased in any way at all!"

Yelling at him relaxed her nerves a bit. Until he spoke again, saying something that would make them explode.

"Listen. I brought Misaka here for a reason very important to me."

(What? What's with this tone? What's with him? He c-can't be-...no. There's no way he would ever-)

"I've been wanting to ask you this request for a very long time," he said. "I just haven't had the nerves to have say it until now for a special reason."

Her heart was pounding and her limbs were numbing.

(Could he...?)

"Misaka!" The way he said it was like it was hurting him. "Would you be as kind as to...give me my 2000 yen from the machine!"

"What!"

Her illusions...he had killed them again in such a short time.

She frantically looked around and saw a certain vending machine a few meters away. He wasn't kidding. He had brought her here for such a stupid reason.

"Heh heh." She chuckled.

"Hm?" This wasn't the type of reaction Kamijou was expecting at all. "Are you all right?"

She ignored his words. "Fool me once," she pulled out a coin, "shame on you."

This was a bit more of what he was expecting.

"Fool me twice," she flipped the coin into the air, "to hell with you!"

A railgun was shot. Kamijou tried to block it with his hand, but nothing was negated. She had actually fired the coin a few centimeters away from his head, deliberately. Her real attack was a kick to the groin.

* * *

Debt remaining: 1,000,000 yen

Money on hand: 15.200 yen

Time remaining: 167 hours and 40 minutes

* * *

Something I'm trying out. Review if you guys like it. It keeps me going.


	3. Chapter 3

He looked at the bill in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. "Well, that's one 2000 yen less that I need."

"Don't ignore me! How is it that you are a million yen in debt?"

"Such misfortune," he remarked before raising his hand to block an electric bolt.

"Don't say that as if that actually explains anything!"

"I beg to differ. In any case, how I got myself in debt doesn't matter, it's how I'm going to pay off this debt that matters. These 2000 yen I've gained back don't help me by much. If I don't pay off this debt, Index will be in trouble."

"Eh? You're worried about that sister?" Sparks jumped off of her as she clenched her teeth. She didn't have anything personal against Index, but hearing him mention her infuriated her senses. She especially didn't like how much time they spent together. "Wait, what's your relationship to that sister anyway! Why are you worrying about her at a time like this? It's your debt!"

Kamijou looked around for words to think up an excuse. He'd rather not advertise the fact he shares his apartment with Index. "She doesn't like to worry about me?"

"What is that supposed to mean!?"

"It's not supposed to mean anything," he sternly said. "Right now, I have a million yen debt hanging over me. If you're not going to help me, then maybe you should go. I'm sorry if I sound rude, but I need help right now."

She pouted and was going to say something. She held back though, since she realized how unhelpful she was being right now. She thought for a minute and came up with a suggestion. "Have you ever thought about working for me?"

"Yes, three days ago, actually," he promptly said. "My hiccups never came back after that." He blocked another attack and awaited her response.

"Tch, fine. How about you get some jobs?"

He flinched. "A job? How am I going to get a job and make a million yen in a week?"

She shook her head and elaborated. "There's a place I know where they have a list of jobs. The jobs can last from hours to days, but the minute you're done, you're paid. It might be tiring, but if you plan a strategy and do many jobs, you might be able to pay off some of that debt."

This time, Kamijou didn't leave much a reaction, having understood her better. "Jobs, huh?" The challenge was daunting, but he wasn't intimidated. A million yen was never going to be an easy task so he was willing to do anything, other than work for Misaka.

She continued, saying, "Even if it becomes evident that the jobs won't completely pay of your debt, at least you can make some money while you think about a better way."

He nodded. "Understood! Please take me to this place."

Inside a broken down, red building, Kamijou and Misaka were standing in front of an electronic board with a large list of jobs with descriptions and requirements.

"I can't seem to find any good jobs," Kamijou said. "Have you found any good jobs for me, biri-biri?"

She focused onto two positions. Neither required experience, just lots of shame. "Temporary high school janitor and animal dropping clean-up.

(A game of 'pick your misfortune' is that it?) He thought over it and asked, "How long and how much?"

"6 hours for 4900 yen and 3 hours for 7500 yen, respectively."

The choice was easy to make. He knew what he would have to do if he wanted to pay the debt in time.

"Where's the school?" he asked.

"What? You really want to spend twice the time for less money?"

He nodded. "Yes. Misfortune is going to happen. The misfortune that happens in school, I'm already accustomed to it, but if misfortune hits me at the other job, then..." He quieted down and refused to speak further about the matter."

"Alright, then. You want to know the school's name?" She looked at the paper and gasped. "No, no! This can't be!"

He had a bad feeling in his gut and wanted it to go away. "What? What school is it?" he demanded.

"The school," she gulped, "is Tokiwadai Middle School."

"What!?"

"Nah, just kidding. It's actually Kudan High School."

After establishing to an employee of the building that he would be taking the job, Kamijou and Misaka left the building.

Misaka, as much as she has enjoyed the time with him, had to go. "Sorry I couldn't do more to help you, but you really shouldn't be in debt in the first place."

"I know that. So you'll be going now?"

She nodded. It was at that moment her face froze and she realized how nice she was being with him. She'd have to go tsun-tsun on him to balance the dere-dere.

"Of course I'm going! You think I have time to spend all day with you!?" She started running away.

"Hey, what's with that change of attitude!" he yelled at her.

"And don't expect anymore help from me! This your debt after all!"

He watched her disappear from sight, saying nothing more. He had nothing to say to that, but agree that this is his debt to take care of.

* * *

Debt remaining: 1,000,000 yen

Money on hand: 17,200 yen

Time remaining: 167 hours and 10 minutes

* * *

Too bad he didn't want that other job, but I guess he has a point. After all, he's already in deep shit!

…

Hm, yes, well, thanks for constantly reminding me of this fic, folks. The pseudo-random alerts and favorites messages I got for a fic with only two chapters and 3k words is touching. I'm sorry I came up with less than 1000 words this update, but work work work work work. I'm graduating in a few weeks though, so I might update more often then.


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